White orchid blossoms and some more bloomin’ handbags

Please send prayers and good thoughts to the Houston area. My friends and family are safe so far, thank God, but the flooding is getting worse. Thank you!

One of my phals has been budding for several weeks and I couldn’t remember what color it was. It finally blossomed last week and it is a beautiful white with a yellow throat.

It was a Kroger rescue. It looked pretty bad when I bought it (half price). It had rotting roots and some fungus on the potting medium. I pulled it out of its pot, cut away the rotting roots, sprayed it well with Listerine, and sprinkled them with cinnamon. Then I gently repotted it with new growing medium. I also cut bigger holes in the sides of the clear pot to let it get some air to the roots. I have to water it twice a week, but it’s worth it to get these blooms.

While the phal was growing its buds I was making hats and purses and one wallet. The hats aren’t ready yet. They’re by my sewing machine about half-done. I did get two purses finished and to the Appalachian Arts Craft Center last week. 

Buttercup Bag pattern by Made by Rae.
Necessary Clutch Wallet and Marichel Hobo bag by RLR Creations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Marichel Hobo by RLR Creations is made from an outdoor fabric and a very soft black vinyl. I used the same fabric and vinyl on the wallet and a wonderful map fabric–Tim Holtz Eclectic Elements Expedition Multi–on the interior. I used repurposed cotton webbing belts for the straps on both bags. I love these for straps because they are reusing something discarded and they don’t slip on your shoulder like quilting cotton or vinyl. 

 

The smaller striped bag is the Buttercup Bag from Made by Rae.    It’s a small bag and won’t get too heavy, but it’s large enough to hold the necessities. 

The Necessary Clutch Wallet by EmmalineBags is one of my favorites. It holds everything I need in a wallet and more. However, my daughter says it’s too big. I’m going to force myself to make some smaller bifold wallets and some trifolds for men. 

Eiko and I have about one more week before Eiko’s show. I’d better get back to sewing.

Hats, hats & more hats..

I really hope some of these hats sell. We have less than 6 weeks now before Eiko takes them to her show out-of-state and we swapped hats for more woven fabric this morning.  She is weaving like crazy and I’m making hats, trying to keep them original and attractive. Handwoven fabric is a challenge to sew. It is beautiful. I love Eiko’s color choices and weaving patterns, but one of the fabrics kept getting caught on the feed dogs and the presser foot. 

I think they are all cute. I hope someone else does too!

Here are some new pics of the sun hat I made earlier after I stiffened the brim a bit with topstitching and removed the flower pin. 

Fun New Hat this Week

Eiko’s linen got into a new project this week. I fashioned a brand new hat, my own pattern, and I think it turned out pretty well. There are a few tweaks I’ll make to the pattern next time. I made a detachable flower pin out of scraps. Isn’t the fringey effect great?  This hat is floppy and casual, but fun. (Please ignore the white bag peeking out from underneath the hat. I had to pad the glass head.)

Please excuse the underpad on the floor. I have a little old lady dog who leaks when she sits and that’s her favorite place.

 

I’m tempted to keep this one, but it’s going into the Owl Tree shop.  Maybe I’ll keep the next one. Maybe. 

There were some little visitors to my porch the last couple of weeks. Enjoy!

A new toad has moved to the neighborhood.
This is a brave moth. He was near not one, but two, orb webs. Aren’t they pretty?